Utilization of hydrolysate from saccharified sugarcane bagasse for phosphatases production

Bioconversion of cellulosic biomass, such as sugarcane bagasse (SB), into valuable products by fermentation and saccharification processes can reduce environmental pollution. Therefore, this study was designed to saccharify the SB by thermostable cellulase enzyme and to use the hydrolysate for the release of phosphorus and phosphatases production. Initially, a thermostable cellulase was obtained from a novel bacterium, Neobacillus sedimentimangrovi UE25, using alkali and ionic liquid pretreated SB. The strain produced 110 IU mL−1 of endoglucanase. The enzyme was utilized to saccharify SB and the factors affecting this process were optimized by employing central composite design (CCD). A yield of 45 mg g−1 of reducing sugars was obtained under the optimized conditions, i.e., temperature 58 °C, pH 5.1, endoglucanase units 17.849, and substrate combination 0.48 (i.e., a mix of pretreated and untreated SB in the ratio of 48% (w/v) to 52% (w/v)) in a relatively shorter reaction time of 18 h 24 min. The hydrolysate from the process was utilized to cultivate Pseudomonas species that produced 54 and 57 IU mL−1 alkaline and acid phosphatases, respectively. Scanning electron microscopy with EDX-, FTIR-, and NMR-based elucidation of the substrate showed removal of lignin by the pretreatment process and utilization of cellulose in fermented and saccharified substrate. This study supports the idea of utilization of industrial waste by-product for the production of valuable products.